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June 16, 2011

I saw a joke picture a while back whose target was the writers of The Hangover Part 2, or at least their process. It asked the question of what their process was, the bottom said CTRL-C. I admit, I laughed. It is true, I laughed out loud. It is a very accurate assessment of my reaction to the movie. I knew what I was in for going in, but it still managed to disappoint.

I loved the first Hangover. That movie felt fresh and new with its combination of comedy, mystery, and mayhem. It brought some newer faces to the screen and benefitted from an odd cameo that no one could have expected. On top of that, when it arrived last year no one really knew what it was and it just blew everyone's expectations away.

That brings us to this year and the sequel. He success of the first pretty much guaranteed that this one would happen. The question was always how it would match up. Unfortunately it does not go well. The trailer hinted at the laughs to come and it honestly made me laugh every time I saw it. Then I saw the movie and wondered what happened.

I knew the movie was going to be a lot like the first one and I was all right with that. They even mentioned it in he trailer with the line "I can't believe this is happening again!". Then as I watched the movie the laughs were just not there. The vulgar sophistication was replaced by straight up vulgarity. It is as if they took the first one and dumbed it down. I mean, it is not like the first film was all that intelligent but it wasn't dumb. This felt dumb. It also felt much more calculated this time around, like they were trying to key the comedy and time the laughs to audience expectations as opposed to allowing the story to develop organically.

If you are wondering what the movie is about, watch the first one and pretend it takes place in Bangkok. Sure, mix a couple of the characters around, but it is essential urns same movie. That being the case, I am going to forgo a plot description, you already know what's going to happen anyway.

It is a little funny, I was all set for a movie o be very similar to the first and I was sure I was going to laugh. In retrospect I wonder where they went wrong? I don't know, but I am sure there was room for actual growth. Perhaps that will happen in the sure to happen third?

Whatever. I cannot recommend this movie, the laughs just were not there for me and I so wanted to enjoy this. It's not like it is poorly made, or terrible, it just isn't good.